Changing Internet Service Provider
Yesterday we changed internet service providers. We moved from EE (formerly BT) to Plusnet. The transition went surprisingly well, mainly due to the existing infrastructure remaining the same. We’ve had fibre to the premises (FTTP) since 2022 so this was essentially an administrative change. The previous ISP terminated their service at 1:30 AM in the morning, while I was playing Star Trek Online. By 6:30 AM I received a message from Plusnet that the new service was live. It took about an hour to configure the new Netgear Nighthawk RS100 router (I bought my own) and get all our household devices attached to the new network. The connection is running at exactly the same speed and stability as it had under the previous supplier. At present a 1Gbps connection is sufficient for our needs. The main factor that has driven this change is cost. We are currently paying £28 per month for internet access which is a competitive price in the UK.
Your Internet Router
Our home has a 1 Gbps “fibre to the premises” internet connection. It has proven reliable since it was installed in June 2022. Our internet service provider EE (part of the BT group) are neither the best of worst suppliers. The monthly cost is not especially competitive and so we may be looking to move providers next Easter. However, that is a matter for the future. For the present there is a more immediate issue. Starting on Friday 21st November, our internet connection has started randomly dropping. Furthermore, both the Wi-Fi extender in the lounge and the wireless printer in my office have become disconnected from the network. It was as if their details had been erased from the router. I suspected that a recent firmware upgrade may be the culprit although EE denies it. However there are posts online from other customers with similar technical issues.
BT Full Fibre
There is still a major “digital divide” in the UK despite the issue being on the political agenda for the last decade or so. Rural areas still suffer from slow internet speeds and a lack of choice with regards to ISPs. It is the wealthy urban communities that tend to have the best internet infrastructure and thus the best services. There are many third party companies that have been proactively installing fibre and competing against former monopoly holder British Telecommunications in recent years. The borough where I live has already seen Virgin Media roll out its cable services and offer customers 1Gbps internet connections. Hence BT has expedited the implementation of its Full Fibre service over the last twelve months, in a proactive attempt to compete and win back its share of the market. They are currently offering a range of services at very favourable prices. Something I decided to avail myself of.
Internet Service Providers and Choice
I would like to make my point by recounting a tale that hopefully demonstrates it. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let us begin. I am trying to find a new Internet Service Provider for my Mother’s home. The existing one, British Telecom, cannot meet the parameters of the service contract that’s in place. Simply put, the existing fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) connection is unstable and drops 40+ times a day. We’ve had 6 engineer visits in the last 3 months and the problem hasn’t been resolved. It probably won’t because the issue is specifically at the cabinet and I cannot see BT making major changes to such a major piece of infrastructure for the benefits of just one customer. The problem with trying to find another ISP is that they mostly provide FTTC connections, so any new internet connection will still include the “troublesome” cabinet that then links to my Mother’s house. Hence I will more than likely just be swapping one poor quality internet connection for another.
Your Internet Connection
Because I live in a suburb of Greater London there are a variety of Internet Service Providers to choose from. There are multiple vendors offering fibre, cable, wireless and now even 5G solutions. I realise that not everyone is fortunate enough to have such a choice and that there is a great deal of “internet inequality” both in the UK and other countries. Big cities and centres of commerce always tend to have better investment in internet infrastructure. Hence those that live in rural areas will often have slower internet connections or little or no choice with regard to which company provides the service. Considering how essential internet access is these days, this is hardly a satisfactory or equitable state of affairs. Hence the universal provision of robust internet connections has become a regular manifesto pledge of all major UK political parties. However, in the meantime many people are still saddled with poor internet download speeds and unreliable services.
The Importance of Internet Access
There are many factors that contribute to deciding where you live. Price and location are primary considerations. If you have a family then schools are a major factor. Then there are other issues such as council tax, local facilities and transportation. If you use any of the major property listing websites, then you’ll find data on all of these points. However in recent years an additional factor has been added to this list of requirements. Internet access now plays a role in deciding whether a property is right or not. Having a fast and stable connection not only improves our leisure time but also play a part in many peoples work life. Self-employment and working from home are becoming more common, as is a culture of working outside of traditional hours. For many, internet access is now as essential as any other utility service.